Video editing is often a tedious and intricate process that requires incredible attention to detail, long hours spent in front of editing software, and the ability to make a bunch of different factors (i.e. sound, graphics, film) line up and come together to achieve a great final product (aka, your masterpiece.)

Similarly, finding the best laptop to assist in your *work of sheer genius* also involves a lot of different components coming together into one kick-ass video editing machine.

The reality is: a laptop fit for video editing is going to require some serious specs.

Generally, a great video editing laptop will have a powerful processor (CPU) and graphics card (GPU), an impressive display, and a hell of a lot of memory and storage. In an ideal world, this laptop would also offer multiple different input/output options and be relatively lightweight, because if you happen to also be shooting the video you'll edit, the last thing you want to do is add weight to your already-heavy camera equipment bag(s). Lastly, in this ideal world, these laptops would be cheap. Spoiler alert: this is the real world and these things aren't cheap. However, some are definitely more affordable than others — so if you're on a budget, price is obviously another huge factor to consider.

Unfortunately, until the laptop-manufacturing gods (or whoever is in charge of laptop branding) decide to make "video editing laptop" as easily identifiable as "gaming laptop," we're forced to break down the specs for ourselves, seeking out the one that hits the most checkmarks on our list of necessities.

Fortunately for you, we've devoured the tech specs of all of the top contenders for the best video editing laptops and organized them in a way that'll help you pick the best option for you. So whether you dream about Premiere Pro and video playback in your sleep, or you're just starting out and need a laptop that can grow with you, these are our top picks.

The MacBook Pro is a straight up power house, and when it comes to video editing, it doesn't get much better. The standard 2018 model's six core i7 processor boasts an impressive speed of 2.2GHz with Turbo Boost potential up to 4.1GHz. (If you're really feeling reckless you can dish out an extra $400 for the 2.9GHz and 4.8GHz Turbo Boost, which are actually the highest specs on any Mac laptop ever.) Either way, to say this thing is powerful is an understatement. On top of that, you can get the Pro with 16-32 GB of RAM and up to 512 GB of SSD storage, so essentially you'll be able to run several giant programs (i.e Adobe Premiere, Lightroom, etc.) simultaneously without experiencing lagging. (Technically you can get up to 4TB of SSD, which is insane and costs more, but if that's what you need, you do you.) This speed will also come in handy when it comes to exporting videos. Video editing is time consuming enough that it's a real blessing when you get to knock off minutes (or even hours) wherever you can.
The MacBook Pro also features a 2880x1800 Retina display with True Tone technology, which, according to Apple, "Uses advanced multichannel sensors to adjust the color and intensity” of the screen. So depending on what environment you're editing in, the screen will automatically adjust so that no matter what, you see the colors on your screen as you should.
The Pro has a touch bar and four Thunderbolt 3 ports, but the one downside (aside from the hefty price tag) is that it doesn't have a regular USB port or SD chip reader like other Mac models (i.e. the MacBook Air), so you'll likely need an adapter for most data transfers.
The battery life on the Pro also isn't the most impressive, as tested first-hand here at Mashable. But that being said, video editing is a battery-draining process regardless of your machine's capabilities, so chances are you'll keep it plugged in for long editing sessions anyway.
Overall, the MacBook Pro was given its name for a reason. It's for the pros. So if you're okay with dishing out a considerable amount of dough, this is an easy pick.
You can read Mashable's full review of the 15-inch MacBook Pro here.

As much as we love the MacBook Pro, if you don't have a fixed affinity for Apple products, the Dell XPS 15 gives the Pro a run for its money in a number of ways.
Firstly, you can get the XPS 15 with either an FHD (1920x1080) display *or* a 4K ultra HD display. Even with the 4K ultra HD display and 16 GB of memory, the XPS 15 still ends up less expensive than the MacBook Pro by several hundred bucks. With the 4K display, you're getting double the screen resolution as that of the MacBook Pro and you'll also be able to export 4K videos much faster than with the Mac—so if you plan to frequently edit 4K videos, the Dell XPS 15 is definitely a good choice. (Not to mention, it's just beautiful to look at, especially with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 graphics.)
The XPS 15 is super slim and surprisingly lightweight and comes with a powerful intel Core i7 processor and lots of storage potential, so your heavy-hitting editing programs should function smoothly and quickly. The touch screen is also a nice addition.
At 4 lbs, the XPS 15 is slightly heavier than the MacBook Pro (3 lbs), but is still one of the lightest 15-inch laptops around.
Webcam users though, beware. One minor downside of the XPS 15 is its awkwardly placed cam, which is located on the bottom bezel (the price you pay for an InfinityEdge screen in this case.) So if you're the type who's constantly in video-chat meetings or Skyping friends, the up-your-nose angle might be something to consider.

The Microsoft Surface Book 2 is definitely a force to be reckoned with and unmatched as far as power for 2-in-1 laptops. Its multiple ports and impressive battery life make it a good option for editing on the go.

Rarely does a tablet measure up to the power potential of a full workstation. The Microsoft Surface Book 2 is a 2-in-1 laptop that doubles as a tablet with a detachable keyboard and gives you the best of both worlds when it comes to functionality.
While video editing typically lends itself to desktops or laptops, there are some noteworthy perks to this Microsoft combo that make it a great editing choice. For one, you can get it with an Intel Core i7 CPU with up to 16 GB of RAM and an NVIDIA GeForce 1060 GTX discrete graphics card — all of which makes it a major powerhouse and right up there with the MacBook Pro and Dell XPS 15 in terms of stamina.
What's also great about the Surface Book 2 is the fact that it has a variety of ports. Unlike the MacBook Pro, it comes complete with pretty much any port you would need, including a USB 3.1, full-size SD card slot, Surface Dock, and USB-C port, which you can use as a single connector to charge devices, transfer files, and display video on external monitors.
It also boasts a super long battery life of up to 17 hours, which is important if you're going to be editing away from an outlet (i.e. in between shoots, on a plane, bus, etc.)
And while the tablet aspect probably won't be the number one selling point when it comes to choosing a video editing laptop, traveling editors might appreciate the detachable keyboard that will give them the option of a nice tablet experience that's prime for Netflix binging once they're done editing. Not to mention, it makes for a great presentation screen for showing off your finished edits.
Alas, the Surface Book 2 does lose some points in the affordability department, since the base model with the desired specs (i.e Intel i7 CPU, 16 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage) will cost you upwards of $2300.

If you're a student and need a versatile laptop that will take care of both your school and video editing needs, the Lenovo Yoga 420 4K is a good option to explore.
The Lenovo Yoga 720 has pretty much all the makings of a great video editing laptop, with an incredible touch-screen 4K Ultra-HD display and a Quad Core H Series Intel processor. It also comes with up to 16 GB of memory and 512 GB of storage, so like its big-name competitors, it should be able to handle whatever heavy editing programs you throw its way. Though the CPU is technical seventh generation, making it a step behind its eighth generation competitors like the Mac and Dell XPS, it still packs enough oomph to get the job done.
Like the Surface Book 2, the Lenovo doubles as a tablet. The keyboard doesn't fully detach, but instead has a nice fold-back design that'll let you mold it into full tablet or tent mode. When in tablet mode you can use the touch-screen exclusively and for an extra 30 bucks or so you can tack on the active capacity touch-screen pen, which is great for taking notes.
What's great about the Yoga 720 is that it allows students to keep up in terms of software learning and produce at an extremely high quality level, yet also provides the convenience of a tablet that's prime for school use. And let's face it, nobody wants to carry around two separate machines (or worse, one video-editing machine and a bunch of one-subject notebooks) when you can just get one device that meets your needs for everything. And what's even better? For some impressive specs, the 720 is still pretty affordable — it's nearly $1000 less than the Surface Book 2. So whether you're a student with a budget whose buying their own laptop or your parent/favorite relative is hooking you up with your back-to-school digs, we're sure everyone will appreciate the extra grand in savings.

The reason video-editing laptops come at such a high expense is — in one word — specs. Editing programs like Adobe Premiere, for example, require serious horsepower to get anything accomplished at a reasonable pace. We know by now that big specs usual equal a big price tag. Which is why the Asus Zenbook UX410 is a breath of fresh air.
The Zenbook rocks a 14-inch screen with thin, 6mm bezels and a full-HD display, giving it just the right amount of sharpness for a laptop of this size. It comes with 8 GB of RAM, which, although we prefer a good 16 GB for editing video, is still enough to get the job done. What's most impressive about the Zenbook though is its updated 8th-generation Intel Core i7 processor. Very rarely can you find a laptop with such a powerful CPU for under $1000.
Battery life on the Zenbook is solid thanks to the 48Wh battery, so you can expect to get up to 12 hours of playback time. Plus, it's also pretty lightweight for a 14-inch laptop, weighing just over 3 lbs.
If you want the best bang for your buck, check out the Zenbook — it's a rare gem.

Think you have to give up on your Apple obsession in order to make the next big blockbuster hit? Think again. When it comes to editing video, it's pretty common for people to favor Apple computers, especially those who are specifically trained in Final Cut Pro X (which, for the record, you can only use on a Mac.) The unfortunate thing about fitting into this category is that, as we all know, Apple products come with a hefty price-tag.
To be fair, most spec-fancy laptops ideal for video editing will come with a hefty price-tag, regardless of whether there's an Apple stamped on them or not. But what do you do if you're in the Mac market with a limited budget? Get the MacBook Air.
The MacBook Air has received some noteworthy upgrades, one of which is its default RAM of 8 GB. This teamed with its Intel Core i5 processor make for fast, stutter-free editing and exporting.
What it lacks in a slightly smaller 13-inch screen and lack of retina display, it makes up for in power and portability. It's obviously super lightweight (hence its name) and also comes with a solid array of ports, including two USB-3 ports and a full-sized SD card slot (which is more than we can say for the MacBook Pro.) The downside is that it doesn't have a Thunderbolt 3 port. But still, for the purpose of transporting data quickly and easily, the ports that it does have are ideal.
The MacBook Air also has an awesome battery life of up to 12 hours, so you'll get pretty far on a single charge in a long editing session.
Despite the smaller screen and limited RAM compared to our top picks, you're getting a powerful machine with Apple street cred that'll host pretty much any program of your choice for less than $1000. That, my friend, is a win.

The HP Pavilion doesn't pack the power-specs of our top picks, but for those just getting their feet wet in the video editing world, it doesn't need to. The Pavilion is a way to start dabbling in video editing without breaking the bank.

While it's easy to say it's worth it to drop top dollar on a video editing laptop, for those who are just starting out, that may not be the case. Not only would it feel pretty crappy to blow thousands of dollars on machinery for a hobby you might not even stick with, chances are, if you're just starting out, you probably don't even have the amount of footage or editing capabilities that would require the heavy power and storage specs of one of the ultra-expensive models.
So for those just getting their feet wet and learning the basics, the HP Pavilion is a decent entry-level model.
For less than $600 bucks, it comes with an Intel Core i5 processor and 8 GB of RAM, which, although isn't as powerful as an 8th-generation CPU, still brings solid speed and fluidity when editing. Not to mention, 8 GB is probably more than enough memory for someone just starting out.
Apart from that it's got some solid Intel HD graphics and a 14-inch screen, which is a nice size for video editing.
On the downside, its pretty heavy compared to most of the other laptops on this list, weighing in at almost 5 lbd. The weight of the laptop probably isn't as much as a deal-breaker for a beginner as it might be for a professional who's knowingly going to be carrying a lot of extra camera equipment on top of said heavy laptop.

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